Bushmasters, Machetes, and Mosquitos – Life, Death, and Gold in the Venezuelan Jungle

The southern Half of Venezuela is comparable in size to Austria, but is almost entirely covered by jungle – the northern reach of the Great Amazonas forest. Forestry experts estimate thee are 2,500 different species of trees alone! This meant that virtually the entire southern half of the country, covered with impenetrable jungle, is accessible only by helicopters and huge dugout canoes called Bongos. The US Geological Survey was invited in by the Venezuelan government – before Hugo Chavez came on the scene – to map this vast region. We also completed an informed mineral resources assessment that to no one’s real surprise showed that the Amazonas of Venezuela is richly endowed with gold, diamonds, iron, and bauxite. We were not really surprised at the gold endowment, however, because in 1906 the largest gold mine in the world was found in El Callao in central Bolivar State. It’s name? Lo Increible – the Incredible One. We also found a gargantuan structure in the southern cloud forest, mis-named “Cerro Impacto” that is over 10 km in diameter. It is a carbonatite, an ancient eruption of crustal carbon loaded with uranium, thorium – and Rare-Earth Elements. The chance to explore this ancient jungle led the authors to move with their five children and live on its edge for three years. Jeff was the USGS Mission Chief – Jefe del Grupo Asesor. Death was always close while we were there – we knew too many people who died while we were there or shortly after we left. To assemble this book, Jeff reviewed old journal entries and noted that “I was almost killed again today” appears on average once every 7 – 9 days over that three-year span. These threats include the Anopheles mosquito (the malaria vector), followed closely by Shigella (from a cook’s dirty hands), machetes which cannot be kept in sheaths because of the high temperature and humidity, testosterone-poisoned-and-poorly-trained helicopter pilots, killer bees, incurable Chagas Disease, Army Ants, 4-meter crocodiles, four species of piranha, and finally… snakes. Yes, snakes are one of the smallest threats to your life in the jungle, notwithstanding frequent encounters with the deadly Cuaima Piña – the Bushmaster. But we would still return in a flash! One cannot walk 100 meters before seeing something new that is so enthralling that you must stop and stare – and try to photograph it in the dark, permanent twilight beneath a three-tier tree canopy. And the Venezuelan people! Despite the near-presence of death everywhere and all the time, they are the most vibrant, happy, and incredibly generous people on the planet. They are the ones who saved us.